Extension means for tables, &amp;c.



a I 11 i K Wtnwea: 11 nnlllmllw mu 0. E. LEWIS & C. HINMAN.

EXTENSION MEANS FOR TABLES, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21, 1911, 7

11,065,534, Patented June'24, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

onnnnns nnwnnn nwrs, or Los nenrns, AND CHARLES HINMAN, or SOUTH:ensnnnnn, CALIFORNIA.

EXTEN$IQN MEANS FOR TABLES, 85c.

Patented June 24, 1913. Serial No. 667,234.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, Cnannns EDWARD LEWIS andCHARLES HINMAN, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively,at Los Angeles and South Pasadena, in the county of Los Angeles andState of California, have invented a new and useful Extension Means forTables, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tables or other devices comprising a pluralityof members which require to he supported and connected in such manner asto enable them to be separated or brought together.

The invention is designed particularly for use in connection withextension tables and will be herein described in that connection. Itwill be understood, however, that it also applicable to other devicessuch as benches and extensible devices generally.

The main object of the present invention is to provide means formaintaining the two parts of an extension table in parallel positionduring their extension or approach, 7

without the use of slides.

A further object of the invention is to provide extension means for thestated purpose which will be movable to different positions with theminimum of frictional resistance. V

A further object of the invention is to provide an extension means fortables, etc., which will be without any looseness in its action, so thatthe parts of the table will at all times be held firmly in properrelative position.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention, andreferring I thereto:

to lever 3 at one :pivotal connection 10, and pivoted to lever A at theother side 1 lever A, by pivotal connection 11. Two other ilevers l3 and14 are so as to be movable toward and from one another. The extensionframe comprises two levers 3, 4, pivotally connected to each member 1 bypivot joints or hinges 5, preferably comprising plates or blocks 6 ofmetal secured to the bottom of the table member 1, as by means of screws6,, and having an extension 7 connected to the lever 3 or 4 by the hingesupport 5. The levers 3 and t are connected by a tie rod 9 pivoted sideof the pivot 5 by of said pivot 5 of said pivoted respectively to levers3 and 4 by pivots 15, forming two I toggles, one toggle consisting oflevers 3 and 13 and the other toggle consisting of levers 4 and 1 1,said levers 13 and 14 being also connected by pivots 17 to a bar 19. Acon- ;necting link or lever 13 at one side of the pivot 18 for said rod20 is pivoted at 21 to lever, and is also pivoted at 22 to the lever 14at the other side of the pivot 17 of said lever 14.

In order to insure that the two members 1 of the table movesimultaneously and to equal extent, connecting means may be providedconsisting of a lever 25 pivoted at 26 to the bar 19 and connected bypivot 27 at its ends, to links or tie rods 28 which are pivotallyconnected at their outer ends at 29, to the respective table members 1.In case a central leg or pedestal is used, it may be connected tointermediate member 19, said leg. indicated at 30, having portions 31straddling the central lever 25. and secured to bar 19.

The operation is as follows: When the table is in closed position, theextension frame consisting of levers 3, 4, 13 and 14:, and rods 9 and20, occupies the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, with the saidbars and levers extending substantially in parallelism, and closetogether. In this position the two members 1 of the table are in contactat their inner edges. hen it is desired to extend the table, the twomembers 1 are drawn apart by pulling thereon, and in this operation theextension frame opens out to position, for example, shown in full linesin Fig. 2, the levers 3, 13, 4t and 14 turning on their supportingpivots 5 and their connecting pivots 15, and the connecting rods 9 and20 operating to enforce corresponding motions of the two pairs of levers8 and 13, '1 and 14:, so that the members 1 are caused to move in suchmanner that they remain parallel to one another at all times, and theextension frame being wholly of metal, there is no yield or looseness ofthe parts. in the above described o ieration, the connecting mechanismconsisting of the lever 25 and rods 98, causes the two members 1 of thetab e to move away from the central member 19 to the same extent, sothat the said central. member is maintained in central position at alltimes. This is of cspccial importance where a center leg or pedestal isused. When the table members 1 have been separated in this manner,fillers, indicated at 32 may be inserted, giving a continuous top torthe table.

The several levers 3, 13, land 11 are formed with [lat tops, all in thesame plane, so as to give a bearing or rest for the tillers 32 when thelatter are in place, the said tops of said levers extending close underthe top members 1 oi? the table, so as to support the tillers level withthe table top.

The toggles extend and lien in opposite directions and each arm of thelever which is between the pivot; 5, 6, 17 or 18 on the table member andthe pivot 15 connecting the said arms, is bent and the connecting rods 9and 20 are connected at one end to this bend on one side of the pivots6, 5, etc, and at the other end to the toggle lever on the other side ofsaid pivot, the said connecting rods crossing over from one side to theother of a line drawn between the pivots 5 or between pivots 1'7 and 18.The effect of this crossing over of the connection rods is to preventrelative movement of the table members in a direction transverse to theaxis of extension, and we have found that in order to provide for thismovement, it is necessary to bend the lovers as stated, or at leastotlset the pivots so that the connection of the rod to one 01": thelevers of the opposite pair of toggles is oft of the line joining thetwo pivots for that lever, it being only by means of this offset of thepivot for the rod that the motions in curvature of the levers compensatefor one another so as to admit of the extension of the toggles withoutcramping or binding.

It will be noted that in the construction above described, there are twoextension elements, respectively connecting the intermediate member withthe members 1. Any desired number of such elements may be used accordingto the length of table or device desired, for example, in case of tableswhich are without any center leg or pedestal, and particularly in caseof smaller tables, the con struction may be simplified as shown in Fig.t, where a single extension element is provided instead of the doubleconstruction shown in Fig. 2. In this case, the levers 3, 13, l and 1 1:and connecting links 9 and 20 are connected to one another as abovedescribed by pivots 15, 10, 11, 21 and 22. The said levers 3 and 4: inthis case are connected to one of the members 1 by pivots 5 and thelovers 13 and 141 are connected to the other table member 1 by pivots orhinges In this case also, the levers 3, 123, '11 and 11 and theirconnecting links 9 and 20 form a parallel motion device which maintainsthe members 1 of the table in parallelism throughout their movement.

In addition to its use in connection with a table or similar article,the extensible device or frame herein described is applicable for otherpurposes, for example, brackets or carriers such as package carriers ortrunk carriers for bicycles or automobiles.

What we claim is:

1. The combination of two members to be extended, toggles connected tosaid memhers and extending and flexing in opposite directions, and rodsconnecting each lover of each toggle with the opposite lever of theopposite toggle, the pivotal connection 01" said rods to the respectivelevers being on opposite sides of the line connecting the pivots of theline extending between the pivotal connections of said levers to thetable membc s to which they are connected.

2. The combination of two members to be extended, toggles comprisinglevers pivotally connected together and pivotally connected to saidtable members, said toggles extending and flexing in oppositedirections, rods connecting each lever of each toggle to an oppositelover of the opposite toggle, the connection of said rod to one of s lidlevers being at the outer side of the pivotal connection of said leverto the table member, and the connection of said rod to the other of saidlevers being at the inner side of the connection of said lever to thetable member and out of line with the line joining said pivotalconnection of said last named nember to the table member with thepivotal connection of said lever to the other 1e ver of the same toggle.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles,California this 13th day of December, 1911.

CHARLES EDVJARD LEWIS. CHARLES HINMAN.

In presence of- A. P. :KNTGHT, GLADYS RUSSELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

